Film ‘Pyre’ portrays the pain of migration.
Film ‘Pyre’ portrays the pain of migration.
Prem Prakash Upadhyay “natural”
Bageshwar, Oct 30
The relentless migration of youth from Uttarakhand’s villages to cities in search of employment and a better future continues unabated. Amid this outward exodus, the agony and isolation of the elderly left behind are now being brought before society through the silver screen. National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri’s widely discussed film ‘Pyre’ which has been crafted around this serious and poignant issue.
Elderly waiting for loved ones as mountain villages turn desolate
The film ‘Pyre’ chronicles that tender stage of life where elderly parents wait endlessly with the hope that their loved ones will return. While they hold a treasure of life experiences and cherished memories, there is no one left to listen to their stories or spend time with them. In numerous hill villages, households do have pensions, economic resources, and essential material comforts, yet the distance from family and the prevailing silence leave an emotional void that no material comfort can ever bridge.
Emotional support needed far more than material comfort
At this declining stage of life, the needs of the elderly extend well beyond food, clothing, and medicine. What they yearn for most is emotional sustenance, a few moments of conversation, and the comforting presence of their own kin. With the lack of local employment driving the youth toward metropolises, villages are left with only abandoned homes and weary eyes. ‘Pyre’ lays bare the harsh truth of how profoundly lonely and helpless an individual feels in the absence of loved ones.
Raising critical questions for society and families
The title ‘Pyre’—signifying the funeral pyre—poses a searing question to every family and individual who, consumed by the fast-paced modern life, fails to spare time for elderly parents who dedicated their entire lives to building their children’s futures.
Having garnered critical acclaim and awards on international platforms, the standout feature of this film is its casting: instead of professional actors, local rural elders (Padam Singh Kapri and Heera Devi) play the lead roles, making the underlying pain resonate directly with audiences. Scheduled for theatrical release on October 30, the film not only captures the human cost of rural migration in the mountains but also triggers a profound discourse on the emotional neglect of the elderly.
